The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-22
BISHOP TAYLOR IN AFRICA
The Great Work Undertaken by the Gel
ebrated Missionary Bishop.
adventures in the Location of Mission Posts
deadly Perils of the Charlottesville
Child Murder bya Superstitious Father.

correspondence of the indianapolis journal.
81. PAUL DE LoANDA, Angola, Africa Feb
20-it is nearly two YEARS snca William
Taylor, Bishop of Africa, arrived az this nor
Win company of missionaries, bent unor
stretching Christianity in straight line acros,
central Africa from ocean to ocean. Since Their
ne mas done tremendous deal of work and
both he and his tellow-evangelizers know con
sideraoiy more about this country than they did
when they started. Bishop Taylor has made
some radical changes in his plans, but, with the
| energy and courage that characterizes the man
ne mas made the changes conduce to the broad
enlng rather than the narrowing of his work.
Inc great idea that underlIes his enterprise
however has not been modified: to make all his
missions sef-supportng. He aims to develop
the preacher from the farmer. and the farmer
has to be his own carpenter. and contractor and
mason, and designer, as well-a sta ggering COM
oination of requirements if the country was any
other than Africa But the Bishop
knew that he not coming to
stubborn New England soil or to
climate that demands the making of shelter
from the driving SHOWS The soil needs little
encouragement to produce wonderfully, and
such is the primitive simplicity of life here at
its best that an intelligent man can put together
very respectable house without previous expe-
rience in building. The dangers and difficulties
were of other natures, and included disease and
savages. These quite make up for fertility and
warm weather 1t is the contest with them that
makes the enterprise of unusal interest. Here
as in America, it was freely prophesied that the
missionaries would fail. As rule, they do not
know how to accllmate themselves, and go to all
sorts of absurd excuses in their zeal to do great
work, and the result is that they break down, if
they do not die, and the field remains undevel-
oped. Bishop Taylors associates have Jared bet
ter than most of their predecessors in knowing
little about the locality before coming in and
providing as far as they could to meet its pecu-
liarities. Furthermore, the self-supporting
scheme has proven to be the safeguard in many
instances as it has necessitated activity
on the part of the newcomers Inspired
by their leader. they have most of
them pitched in with untiring energy and met
the trials of pioneering bravely. Their expert
ences have been more novel and interesting than
they had expected, and they have studied their
surroundings with all the curious devotion of
original explorers. And, indeed. to no small
extent they are original explorers. for the coun-
try is SO vast that one has not to 60 far to see
land that no white man has hitherto set eyes on.
To do this is constant temptation to mission
aries and in the past it has led to serious results
Untutored savages have complacently saugh-
tered the intruders. and the dreadful torrid
fever, kind of trebledistilled gaivanic malaria,
has shaken them into the grave. With the
present band of preachers the necessities of
getting a supply of food by their exertions
have prevented many such mishaps- Moreover.
most of them thus far are situated in Portuguese
territory, which is some protection against vio-
lent disturbance.
1t may not be generally known that all this re-
gion Christian community. Five
hundred years ago the Roman Catholic Church
sent it's missionaries down the coast and for
two centuries nearly the pagan religion was sup
pressed. Portugal was then leading nation
and her sword effected violent peace for the
benefit Of the clergy and Christianity. With the
decline of Portugal's power the dangers of mis-
tensibly Christian, but they had lost nothing of
their treacherous dispositions and the clergy be-
came oppressed With the fear of wholesale poi
son, worse means of destruction. They left
the country, and paganism rapidly regaued it's
supremacy-it had never lost it In the interior
and the geographical. line dividing the Christians
from the pagans had never been sharply drawn
and was not marked by such natural features as
prevented easy transition and communication
between the ntpeoples. Since then little
has been attempted in the way of evangeiziug
this part of Africa, until tho enter prisng Liv-
ingstone crossed the continent. And such
immense scheme as that of Bishop Taylor's
ever devised.
The Bishops first work on arriving at St Paul
de Loanda was to see the governor of the prov
ince. explain his plans and get concessions of
land for the missionaries The governments
wherever the Bishop should choose to locate,
though the towns were substantially agreed
upon. The securing of this land naturally
carried with 1t o measure or authority and pro-
lection, and the government, therefore, so far
as Angola was concerned. was committed 20 the
support OF the project. But Angola is a large
country, and the Presence of a Portuguese gov
ernor does not mean at all that there is anything
like civilized order of things here. The few
Caucasians are confined almost entirely to the
coast region, and the interior towns are made up
af ali iOin MOI less imbuaG with IN T.
ure of Notwithstanding. And In the wilder
ness where little villages are plenty, even this
spirit is gone but little beyond the
primitive manners that maintained before white
men were known. It was in meeting and deal
ing with such people that the Bishop and his
friends encountered their most interesting ad-
ventures.
Getting on amcable terms with the Portu-
guest government took comparatively little time,
but it easy task to get started for the in
terror. A physician In thu party named Sum-
mers went out in advance to prospect for locall-
ties favorable to the planting of missionary sta
tions. and Bishop Taylor soon followed him.
Most OF the party remained at Loanda getting |
accimated and a tough time they had of it, too. |
It was decided that the first station should be |
placed at Dondo an important trading town 24O |
miles up the river Coanza. 1t Is the head of |
navigation of that river. and transportation |
thither is by boat But boats go only semi |
occasionally. and that was one of the causes of |
delay. A station was established there with no I
adventures Of note, and Mr. and Mrs c. L. |
Davenport left in charge. Mrs Davenport is a |
physician, having receiTed the degree of NJ. ID.
rom Boston University, Massachusetts. The |
Bishop then set out foot across country for
Nhaugueppo little more than fifty miles dis
ant by the shortest route. w. 2. Dodson went
With him, and they were attended by two
hree natives in the capacity of guides and bag
age carriers They arose at . o'clock
n the morning and breakfasted lightly
N cassaya bread, milk. bananas and
weet potatoes. By half. past 5. just before sun
Use, they were on their way. The Bishop and
Ir. Dodson carried each umbrella. the cloth
op of which has been made of double thickness
they wore copper helmets, flannel coat and
rousers, but vest, light flannel shirts and
usset shoes. The umbrellas we're spread as
GOD as the sun appeared. the Bishop had
auged his speed at walking. and claims TO cover
hree miles an hour. He undoubtedly comes
cry near that figure. and his habit of always
7alking at the same speed has been Of assistance
D him in avoiding the distresses OF the climate,
Dr. of the chief dangers that missionaries in
heir zeal encounter is excessive activity. It
rovokes violent perspiration. and the conse-
uent reaction often brings on fever, and at
ne best it will sadly debilitate a man. In
10 early morning of their first dav on